A Jim Thorpe homeowner whose family has been living in a property where the other half is caving in, again asked for Carbon County’s help in her fight to save her family’s home.

Last week, Judy Williams, who owns 206 Center Ave., approached the board of commissioners to see if they could apply for some money from the newly announced COVID-19 American Rescue Plan Act Whole-Home Repairs Program. Of the money being funneled through the program, Carbon County is set to receive $1,046,437.

“I found there might be a new fund for blight money to help save the house in the 206-204 Center Ave. blight project,” Williams said. “I’m asking you to check into the project and get information to see if money could be awarded to the house to save that family. For the amount of money the borough wants to have that project done, which there is no way we could come up with, otherwise the house will cave in soon and the family will have to go out on the street.”

She said that it would be a difficult task finding a place for a family of fie and pets if that were to happen.

“They want to stay here,” Williams said. “That’s my mother’s home and we want to save it.”

She pointed out that homes around this house are currently being fixed up by homeowners.

Williams has been working to help her son and his family, who resides in the home in question since early this year, when the Jim Thorpe Borough told her they would need to come up with at least $55,000 to construct a masonry foundation wall, relocate electrical panels and install shoring to secure the home once the dilapidated other half was demolished.

The borough received a grant to tear down the home, but, in September diverted the funds to other projects due to Williams and her family not having the money to chip in.

In October, Williams accused the borough of “not caring about her family” over the diversion and said that she doesn’t believe the borough tried to resolve the issue.

Commissioner Chris Lukasevich told Williams the county just learned about the program and was in the process of gathering more information on how it could be used.

He said the county also reached out to Jim Thorpe with the correspondence regarding the funding for the home repair program.

Lukasevich said that the county is asking if they could help offset the costs of what the borough is saying you would need to pay.

“We have already started the process,” he said, adding that he hopes this will start the discussion.

“We only want $60,000 and that’s nothing to the (allocation),” Williams responded, thanking the board for reaching out to the borough to see what could be done.

Commissioners’ Chairman Wayne Nothstein said that the county will look to see how it plays out and will be able to provide more answers once the county learns more about the new allocation.

“Waiting is what we do,” Williams said. “We’ve been waiting, seven, eight years with nothing getting done and putting the burden on us.”

For years, the borough has unsuccessfully tried to track down the owners of 204 Center Ave., listed as Emma & James Owen Real Estate LLC.